Abbott is deserted by mining industry

15/09/2011

Lovely little report in the paper this morning.

Abbott plan ‘would double carbon cost’

Lenore Taylor

September 15, 2011

TONY ABBOTT has described the carbon tax as ”the longest political suicide note in Australian history” and a ”completely pointless exercise” because it would allow Australian companies to buy some greenhouse gas emission reductions overseas.

But the Australian Industry Greenhouse Network – which represents mining and manufacturing industries – said it agreed with the federal Treasury that Mr Abbott’s plan of achieving 5 per cent emission reductions domestically would at least double the cost, whether done with a carbon price or through his proposed ”direct action”.

I think Mr Abbott has just been given his notice to vacate. Bye bye Mr Abbott! I for one will not miss you.

The real story though is not what the AIGN has said, but it has been saying this from the moment the coalition announced their abortion of a climate change policy.

The irony is less then two weeks ago, it seemed, if you believe the coalition spin doctors and their media cheer squad, that the Prime Minister was a Dead Woman Walking. But now it seems the majority of industry directly affected by a carbon price are looking at what Tony Abbott is doing and calling him ‘Dead Man Squawking’.

The coalition had a HUGE almost 8 month head start on this. From the get go, they were out calling the PM a liar. The thought that this would make people think better of them. For 10 months, the coalition could have actually sat down and come up with REAL policy. A REAL alternative. Instead, just like their NBN-lite and Health-lite and Education-lite policies, the coalition offer the nation a Climate-lite Policy.

That’s right Australia. The Coalition think you are not worth the money to be spent on. That you don’t need hospitals or schools or a legitimate wage. You do not deserve any rights as a worker. That spending money on Aboriginals is a waste as there is no cost benefit analysis for it. And besides. What will an Aboriginal do with money? They need people like Gina Reinhart and Andrew Forrest to show them how to spend $20 on a bottle of water.

Apparently, ensuring that every Australian has the same rights and the same access to creating wealth in this country as anyone else is socialism.

I, like others, seek a balance to life. A balance where what I do to this planet and those in my life is in harmony not only with others in my life, but the planet itself.

There has been an imbalance in what has been reported on this issue. Abbott, while accusing the PM of being a liar, lies like it is going out of style.

While the coalition make the claim to the public that offsetting emissions in another country is a waste of money, those that will be spending the money point out that Tony Abbott is a lying weasel.

While the coalition lie to the public that direct action will be much cheaper then the governments plan, it turns out that those that will actually be doing the paying point out that Tony Abbott is a lying weasel.

While the coalition lie to the public that Nauru is a better then Malaysia, it seems advice he has since received points out that Tony Abbott is a lying weasel.

The irony to all this is Tony himself insists on finding differences. Instead of working with others to find the common ground, he works to undermine that ground. At least this is what happens in front of the public.

Behind closed doors I like to believe this is NOT the case.

That Tony Abbott is NOT a weasel, lying or otherwise.

That he is genuinely trying to seek solutions to help this country.

That he is not out there saying the first thing that comes to his mind one minute and then something else a little while later.

That he believes in climate change.

I would LOVE to believe all of this. But even I am not *THAT* gullible. I remember a address Abbott gave to the miners a few months ago where he seemed to be begging for their help.

It seems Abbott’s begging has gone unnoticed. Abbott’s decline began the first minute he opened his mouth. Now the fact’s are coming out and the hypothetical carbon price games are gone, Abbott is in a lot of trouble.

The game started to fall away from him the day he did a press conference at a mine in Qld that he said will be losing coal workers and the next day, the company announced a take over plan and an increase of coal workers.

While there was no policy detail, Abbott scored points. But against the policy itself, he has no answer. So, once again the question is being asked.